Waterloo to Logan is 223.8 miles and takes about 4h 40m via Avenue of the Saints and US 30, with a fuel budget near $40 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest from east to west. Expect a drive primarily on surface roads, offering a more local feel than a pure interstate trip. With a recommended one-day drive time, it's a manageable option for getting across the state without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
111.9 miles from Waterloo, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 12m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
147.9 mi
2h 50m
US 30
34.9 mi
50m
Fox Avenue
17.2 mi
23m
State Highway 39
17.1 mi
23m
West 4th Street
2.4 mi
4m
Sergeant Road
0.8 mi
1m
400th Street
0.7 mi
1m
260th Street
0.7 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 147.9 mi, about 2h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IA and Logan, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
76 ft·6 sec·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
384 ft·10 sec·Washington Street
3
Turn right onto West 5th Street
0.3 mi·34 sec·West 5th Street
4
Continue on West 4th Street
2.4 mi·4 min·West 4th Street
5
Turn slight right onto West Ridgeway Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·West Ridgeway Avenue
6
Turn left onto US 63
0.8 mi·1 min·Sergeant Road
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto US 20; IA 27
148 mi·2 hr 50 min·Avenue of the Saints
9
Turn left onto M43
11 mi·15 min·Fox Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on IA 39
0.5 mi·1 min·Des Moines Street
11
Continue on IA 39
5.9 mi·8 min·Fox Avenue
12
Continue on IA 39
0.7 mi·1 min·400th Street
13
Continue on IA 39
17 mi·23 min·State Highway 39
14
Turn left
217 ft·9 sec
15
Turn straight onto US 59; IA 141
0.3 mi·29 sec·George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
16
Continue on US 59; IA 141
0.7 mi·59 sec·260th Street
17
Turn slight right onto US 30
2.5 mi·3 min·US 30
Toward US 30 West: Dunlap
18
Continue on US 30
32 mi·46 min·US 30
Use the left lane.
19
Arrive at destination
US 30
Trip Plan
Given the 4h 40m estimated drive time and the fact that it's a single-day trip, leaving in the morning will give you ample time to reach Logan without feeling rushed. Plan for one stop, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before hitting the 147.9-mile stretch on Avenue of the Saints, as services might be more spread out on surface roads. Since the drive is under five hours, you have flexibility to adjust your departure time based on your morning in Waterloo.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 111.9 miles from Waterloo, IA, or about 2h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 147.9 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 49 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 111.9 miles or 2h 12m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Logan, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waterloo, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Waterloo, IA
This is one driving day of about 223.8 miles and 4h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 49 miles from Waterloo, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 147.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 152.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Washington Street
Turn right onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|West 5th Street
Turn right onto West 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
3.3 mi into trip|~6m in|US 63 / Sergeant Road
Turn left onto US 63 / Sergeant Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.1 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
152.3 mi into trip|~2h 59m in|M43 / Fox Avenue
Turn left onto M43 / Fox Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.05 one way
$66.10 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg78 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$36.49
$72.97
premium
$4.72
$41.55
$83.11
diesel
$4.80
$42.26
$84.52
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 78.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
67.1
0
$23.50
$10.74
Efficient EV
56
0
$19.58
$8.95
EV Truck/SUV
89.5
1
$31.33
$14.32
Gas CO2
78 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (67% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Waterloo, IA
Late night
in Waterloo on Sunday
Local time
5:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Sunny
N 9 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:22PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 10:14AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Logan, IA
Late night
in Logan on Sunday
Local time
5:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
94°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SSE 5 mph25% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:22PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 10:14AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
6 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 40m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route features a 23% highway share, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest stretch on a primary road is 147.9 miles on Avenue of the Saints. You'll transition from highway cruising to more local road driving as you progress. Expect a consistent pace on US 30, before shifting to surface streets like Fox Avenue as you approach your destination.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 147.9 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Washington Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 40m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (US 63 / Sergeant Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.
Top landmarks
•Henry Weis House — house in Waterloo, Iowa, United States
•Rensselaer Russell House — house in Waterloo, Iowa, United States
•Waterloo Public Library-East Side Branch — historic Carnegie library in Iowa
The longest stretch is about 147.9 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (US 63 / Sergeant Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Logan, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
